Encounter
by catherder
Summary: Logan and Renfro encounter each other in the market, and Renfro has designs on Logan. When she abducts him, Lydecker has to deal with the consequences. FINAL CHAPTER ADDED.
1. Default Chapter

ENCOUNTER  
  
Author: Catherder  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to   
these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.  
Summary : Logan and Renfro encounter each other in the market, and Renfro has designs on   
Logan  
Spoilers/Timeframe: Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back  
Rated: G  
A/N: Great thanks to a fan for reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are   
appreciated.   
  
Logan carefully threaded his way through the crowd and the stalls at Fremont Market. He wheeled   
over to the fruit stand that he frequented. As he selected some strawberries for dessert, he engaged   
the vendor in conversation. They had known each other for years and were on a first name basis.   
  
"So, Logan, how's it going?" The fruit vendor gestured toward the wheelchair.  
  
"Better," he replied, deflecting the question as best he could. It was not a topic he felt comfortable   
discussing. He was still having a hard time getting his head around it. He touched the wheels of his   
chair. "How are the kids?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
His friend launched into a monologue on the vicissitudes of raising a pair of daughters in post-  
Pulse Seattle. After a few minutes, Logan noticed a woman standing there, unabashedly staring at   
him. She looked to be maybe 10 years older than he, had very blonde cropped hair, amazing long   
legs, and was dressed all in black, which made her look both businesslike and dangerous. Her lips   
and talon-like nails were a deep red. She had been examining oranges carefully as if she were   
preparing to dissect one. He hadn't seen her at the market before.  
  
He didn't think he would ever get used to people staring at him, or the looks that said "You poor   
thing." It didn't happen as often now, so when it did, he noticed it more. Now the hairs on the back   
of his neck were standing up. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was looking at him   
almost clinically, as if he were a lab rat. He'd never been stared at like that before. She didn't   
bother to avert her eyes, or apologize. Instead, she smiled at him, a cold, reptilian smile that chilled   
his blood.  
  
Logan looked up at her, meeting her anthracite eyes. "I don't really like to be stared at, thank you."  
  
"Whyever not?" she replied sweetly. "You're a very good-looking man. I'll bet people have been   
staring at you for years."  
  
"That's not what I meant."  
  
"Well, what *did* you mean?" she challenged, still smiling that cold smile.  
  
She was playing games with him. She had to be. She knew damn well what he meant. Logan was   
determined not to play her game. He glared at her and turned away.  
  
He hurriedly completed his purchase, and wheeled away. All he wanted to do was get out of there.   
Even when he got in the car, he could feel her eyes boring sharply into him, as sharp as the bullet   
that had severed his spinal cord. He felt like he'd been shot all over again.   
  
***************  
  
In the back seat of her chauffered car, Renfro retrieved a compact from her purse and powdered her   
nose, then applied lipstick the color of dried blood. It had been a busy week at Manticore, with new   
experiments to oversee, grants to write, and Lydecker to ride herd on. She was tired and was   
looking forward to a quiet dinner at home, so she ordered the driver to stop at Fremont Market.  
  
He parked the car at the edge of the market area and waited for her. Renfro strolled through the   
market, selecting items for dinner. She was stopped at a fruit stand, examining oranges, when a   
man in a wheelchair rolled up next to her. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties.   
Renfro watched him as he transferred the packages in his lap to a backpack hanging from his chair   
and began to sort through the strawberries.   
  
As a rule, Renfro ignored the disabled; after all, they were considerably less than perfect and the   
search for perfection was what she dealt in at Manticore. However, the man didn't seem to be the   
typical crippled bum seen around Seattle these days, even though his hair was uncombed and he   
sported a three-day stubble. His clothes were expensive, as was his wheelchair. It looked to be a   
custom model, costing maybe two grand, she estimated. He was tall, lean, seemingly well built, and   
appeared healthy, except for his legs. He might be a suitable subject for one of Lydecker's   
nanotechnology experiments -- to see if it really *could* enhance neuromuscular function.  
  
As she watched him select the strawberries, she noticed his long, strong hands. They were   
relatively uncalloused, so she figured his paralysis was fairly recent and he hadn't been using the   
wheelchair for very long. She continued to stare at him. Apparently he was a regular here because   
the fruit vendor was talking to him like they'd known each other a long time.  
  
"So, Logan, how's it going?" The fruit vendor gestured toward the wheelchair, a look of concern   
on his face. Renfro noted his name for future reference.  
  
"Better." the man touched the wheels of his chair and quickly changed the subject. "How are the   
kids?"   
  
So, Renfo thought, even better. He didn't want to talk about it. The injury *is* fairly recent. There   
may be more to work with. Smiling to herself, she mentally took notes.  
  
Suddenly, he looked up at her, his aquamarine eyes flashing with anger. "I don't really like to be   
stared at, thank you."   
  
"Whyever not? You're a very good-looking man. I'll bet people have been staring at you for   
years," she answered coyly.  
  
"That's not what I meant," he replied, obviously annoyed. He probably hadn't anticipated that   
response.   
  
She continued to smile at him. "Well, what *did* you mean?" she challenged, hoping to draw him   
into conversation and learn more about him, other than that he was a healthy specimen with a   
recent injury that he was still sensitive about.  
  
But he turned his back on her, then quickly paid for the strawberries and wheeled away.  
  
Renfro's eyes followed him. She watched as he deftly got into his car, folded the wheelchair, and   
stowed it inside. A moment later, he was gone. Starting tomorrow, she would have a couple of her   
operatives watch the market. The next time he appeared, they would know what to do.  
  
  
I have been convinced by the reviewers to continue the story. Better that than being beaten about the head and shoulders.   
Give me a little time since I hadn't planned on this. Thanks for your kind reviews.  



	2. Encounter -- Chapter Two

Author: Catherder

Author: Catherder

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.

Summary :Continuation of "Encounter." Renfro grabs Logan for experimentation and Lydecker has to deal with the consequences.

Spoilers/Timeframe:Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back

Rated: PG for language

A/N: This is in response to the reviewers who asked me to continue the story. Great thanks to a fan for reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are appreciated.

**Encounter, Chapter Two**

** **

A week later, Logan was back at Fremont Market. As he made the rounds of the booths and stalls, he kept a lookout for the blonde woman who had so annoyed him the week before, but she was nowhere around. It was just as well, he thought. He wasn't up to dealing with her again.

He made his purchases and wheeled back to his car. As he was getting in, a man rushed by and bumped his arm in his hurry to pass by. The last thing Logan remembered, he was folding the wheelchair to stow it in the back of the car. Then a black hole came up and swallowed him.

He didn't see the man who had bumped his arm circle back, lift him out of the car, and transfer him to an ambulance. He didn't see the other man rifle his pockets and the glove compartment for identification, or put his wheelchair into the ambulance. He wasn't aware of them driving him to a remote military facility and reporting to the blonde woman whom he had been trying to avoid.

***********************************

When he awoke, he found himself in an austere room, in a bed, wearing a hospital gown. His head hurt like hell and he couldn't get his bearings. He seemed to be hooked up to some kind of monitor. He shook his head to try and clear it, which made it hurt even more, then looked around. He appeared to be in a hospital room, although he didn't think it was in Metro Medical. His wheelchair was next to the bed and his wallet and glasses were on the nightstand.

A woman in a white lab coat walked briskly into the room. She identified herself as a nurse.

"Ah, Mr. Cale, you're awake. How are you feeling?" She took his wrist to check his pulse.

"Like I've been hit upside the head with a 2 X 4. Where am I? What happened?" Logan responded groggily.

"You're at a private medical facility. You blacked out at Fremont Market. The ambulance brought you here. We're running some tests right now to find out what caused the blackout."

"Have you notified Sam Carr at Metro Medical? He's my doctor. Neurosurgeon."

"We'll contact him shortly. You just relax, Mr. Cale. You're in good hands. Get some sleep." Just as briskly, she walked out of his room. He leaned back against the pillows. Sleep sounded like a good idea.

  


*************

Dr. Elizabeth Renfro reviewed her notes to the Committee with a self-satisfied smile on her face. ______________________________________________________________________________

Subject's Name: Logan Cale

Age: 31Height: 6'2"Weight: 180

Address: Fogle Towers, PH1, Seattle Washington

Occupation: Freelance Journalist

Father: deceasedMother: deceased

Siblings: N/A

Spouse's Name:N/A

The subject presented with a gunshot wound at the T8 level, causing paralysis below the 8th thoracic vertebrae. Although the injury is nearly a year old, dating from April 2019, the subject has obviously undergone extensive physical therapy, resulting in excellent muscle tone and neurological response above the point of injury and fair to good muscle tone and neurological response below the point of injury.Because of this, I feel that he is a good candidate for Manticore's nanotechnology experiment currently in progress.

______________________________________________________________________________

"We have reached the stage where we must progress beyond animal testing and concentrate on human trials," Renfro stated to the Committee. "A suitable candidate has been located and is currently residing at the facility. With your approval, we can begin immediately." 

She hadn't been so excited about an experiment since the early days of the X7s. Lydecker's tests with rats had been encouraging, but rats were one thing and humans were another. Nanotechnology had advanced so much since the early days of the century, when it was contemplated solely for diagnostic purposes. Well, they'd been using it for diagnostics for more than a decade now, and had used it to administer medication and treatment for years. But she and Lydecker had envisioned using nanotechnology for self-healing purposes – to give the X series warriors the ability to seal up their own wounds, regenerate tissue and nerves. That ability, coupled with the unique properties of their blood, would render them nearly invincible. The ultimate soldiers, stronger and smarter than the rest, and nearly unkillable. She nearly salivated at the thought. 

Of course the Committee approved. They always did. She had them in the palm of her hand and they did what she told them. What she didn't tell them was that the nanotechnology was still unstable; that the encouraging results had come at the expense of hundreds of dead lab rats – andthat the encouraging results were just that – encouraging, but nothing more. A lot more needed to be done and she was pushing Lydecker to take it to the next stage. His reluctance was infuriating. Perhaps if she gave him a real, live human subject to play with, he wouldn't be so reluctant.

And what a subject she had found him! A fine physical specimen with the perfect injury. A man who'd had the financial resources and time to keep himself in good shape; who had no living family to worry about his whereabouts or attempt to track him down; who lived alone except for his physical therapist. What more could Lydecker ask for?


	3. Encounter -- Chapter Three

Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

** **

Donald Lydecker sat at his desk drinking black coffee, a habit left over from his ADAP/AA days. He was feeling pressure from Renfro to take his nanotchnology experiments to the next stage, human testing. Ideally, he wanted one more round of animal testing before he did that, but he knew Renfro well enough to realize that what she wanted, she usually got. And now his ass was on the line. As usual. He was tired of fighting with her. It depleted his energy; energy that could be put to better use pursuing his goal of creating the perfect soldier. 

He picked up her briefing notes to the Committee and glanced at them. As usual he hadn't been invited to attend the meeting although it directly affected him. Bitch! What was it with her, anyway? Did she hate all men, or just him?

Something in the briefing caught his eye, the subject's name. Logan Cale. Where had he heard that name before? Logan Cale? It nagged at him.

Suddenly, he uttered an expletive. Of course! Logan Cale! The journalist in the wheelchair whom he'd met at the genetics conference last year. The man who had exchanged himself for the female hostages when those idiots from the May 22nd Movement attacked the hotel. He never had found out what had happened to the guy after the terrorists took him away to toss him off the roof. Obviously he had somehow survived. Lydecker remembered bitterly that he himself had been knocked out by one of the terrorists when he tried to shoot Jon Darius. 

Good God! Renfro had grabbed Logan Cale to be his lab rat! The woman must be mad. Didn't she realize that a high-profile journalist like him would be missed? Didn't she realize that he probably had powerful friends in high places? What was she thinking? She had screwed up big time. And it would be up to him to cover her ass. Again. Or they would both go down in flames. 

Bitch.

*************

Logan awoke again. This time, his headache was almost gone and he didn't feel groggy. He reached for his glasses and put them on. Almost immediately, an orderly came in with a tray of food. Funny, he hadn't even thought about food, but now he realized that he was hungry. So he tucked into a meal that was far better than any hospital food he'd ever had.

The orderly left as the nurse walked in.

"Are you feeling better now, Mr. Cale?" she asked solicitously.

"Much better, thank you. When can I leave?"

"Not quite yet. We're still running tests."

"What kind of tests?" Logan didn't remember anyone running any tests. "And when will you be done with them? I would like to go home."

"Shortly. I'll send in the doctor to talk to you."

"Fine. I really would like to know what's going on." Logan felt himself getting annoyed.

She turned and walked out. Logan looked around the room. It was a typical hospital room – except for the barred window. That didn't give him a warm, fuzzy feeling. The nurse had said this place was a private medical facility; she hadn't said what kind of medical facility it was. What was going on here? Where was the doctor? He figured a little field trip was in order.

When he finished eating, he put the tray on the nightstand and transferred himself into the wheelchair. He unhooked the monitor to which he was attached. He then searched the room looking for his clothes. He found them, neatly folded in a zippered bag, in the bottom of a chest of drawers. Relieved, he tore the hospital gown off and pulled his sweater over his head. He lifted one foot, then the other, off the pedals to pull on his sweatpants. 

He had just put on his shoes when Donald Lydecker walked into the room. Logan turned the wheelchair around to face him.


	4. Encounter -- Chaper Four

Chapter Four

Author: Catherder

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.

Summary :Continuation of "Encounter." Renfro grabs Logan for experimentation and Lydecker has to deal with the consequences.

Spoilers/Timeframe:Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back

Rated: PG for language

A/N: This is in response to the reviewers who asked me to continue the story. Great thanks to a fan for reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are appreciated.****

** **

**Encounter, Chapter Four**

** **

"Well, well, small world," Logan said.

"Hello, Mr. Cale," Lydecker replied. "I didn't expect to see you up and dressed."

"Apparently not. What's going on here? Where am I?" He already had a good idea of where he was, which explained the bars on the window. Why he was there was another matter.

"Never mind where you are. You're here by mistake." Lydecker made it sound almost like an apology. He sat down on the metal chair.

"Great. Then I can leave?" Logan ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, it's not as simple as that. The crazy bitch I work for decided that you would be an excellent subject for some experiments I've been conducting. She had you, ah, snatched for that purpose."

"I didn't think I had passed out at the market. 'She' wouldn't be very blonde with long legs and an icy smile, would she?"

"Yeah, that's her. Doctor Elizabeth Renfro."

"Ah, _Doctor Elizabeth Renfro," Logan repeated. "Doctor of __what if I may ask?"_

"Biogenetics," Lydecker replied simply. "She's very eager to take this project to the next stage, human testing."

"Terrific. And I'm the human guinea pig, I suppose?"

"She didn't know who you were, or how well known. It was stupid."

"So what's this project? And why me?' Logan leaned over and looked at Lydecker intently.

"It's a nanotechnology experiment.We've designed cell-like nanochips to incorporate themselves in the body's cellular machinery in order to stimulate metabolic activity and enhance neuromuscular function. It's supposed to give soldiers the ability to heal their own wounds, and regenerate tissue and nerves."

"Ah." Logan nodded, beginning to see where this was going.

"And why you? Because she wants to see if the nanocells can regenerate your spinal cord and cure your paralysis. You're young, strong, and in good health. She thought you'd be the perfect candidate."

Oh God, thought Logan, I've been through this before with Max's blood. I don't know if I can do it again, physically or emotionally. 

"So, what do _you think?"_

" You're an excellent candidate, in my opinion. But I'd certainly prefer to experiment on someone I _didn't know." _

That statement startled Logan, who'd been regaled with various instances of Lydecker's brutality by Max. He also couldn't forget that Lydecker had personally shot Doctor Vertes, his one hope for regaining his ability to walk, in cold blood.

"Why is that?"

"Well, under most circumstances, I wouldn't care. But this is very risky. The technology isn't as far advanced as I'd like it to be before moving on to human testing. One more round on animals would be my preference, but Renfro is hot to trot on this."

"So, there's a risk. Tell me about it. What could happen?"

"Bottom line, it could kill you. I'd kind of hate to see that happen. You've got a lot of guts and I'd hate to see that go to waste. I remember what you did at that genetics conference, how you traded yourself for the hostages. I've got to admire you. Not many people would have done that, and the fact that you were in a wheelchair made me admire you more."

"Thanks." Logan said. Lydecker admired him? That was a scary thought. "And if it worked?"  
  


"You'd be able to walk."

"So, what are my options?" Logan figured he wasn't going to get out of Manticore unscathed, so he wanted to minimize his risks if he could.

"_You don't have options. __I do." Lydecker reminded him. "One, I can do the experiment. If it kills you, it kills you."_

"Happy thought, that," Logan muttered under his breath. Lydecker pricked up his ears.

"Two, on the other hand, if it works, you'll probably be able to walk. You _do want that, don't you?"_

Logan nodded silently. More than _you'll ever know, he thought._

"Three, if it doesn't work and it doesn't kill you, you probably won't be any worse off than you are now."

"Probably?"

"Since I haven't used the technology on humans, I don't know what could happen." 

"What are the odds that it would work?" Loganthought he would seriously consider a deal with the devil if it would give him his legs back. 

"It worked about a third of the time on rats. The other two-thirds died. The rats that survived realized at least a partial recovery of sensation and movement."

Logan rolled away from Lydecker and turned toward the barred window. He looked out at the barren landscape, considering the odds.

"Four, I can tell Renfro that for some reason, you're not a suitable candidate. If you're lucky, she'll let you go – probably the same way she brought you here.Although, knowing her, she won't be inclined to do that."

"Great."

"Five, I can get you out of here somehow. Frankly, you'd be a lot more useful to me alive and healthy and somewhere else."

Logan wheeled around to face Lydecker again. "Number five sounds like a viable option to me. But how could I be more useful to you?"

"You're a journalist. You have contacts. I'm sure I can think of some way to take advantage of that." 

"You don't like her very much, do you?" Logan stated the obvious. "How come?"

"I think she's ruining this outfit. She's hurrying experiments along too quickly. Destroying the results of previous ones that didn't work the way she wanted them to…."

Logan shuddered at the thought. How many of the X series had she eliminated? Would she kill _him if the experiment didn't show the results she wanted? A chill ran through him._

"… Really good at blaming others and covering her ass." Lydecker was saying. "Turning my people against me. Yeah, I hate the bitch. Anyone would." 

"Well, she's certainly at the top of _my list of 'never want to see again'. Creeped me right out," Logan agreed. "Is there some way we could continue this conversation elsewhere. Barred windows always make me claustrophobic." Besides, he thought, a guided tour of Manticore could come in handy._

"I suppose we could go to the lab. After all, you'll end up there sooner or later."


	5. Encounter -- Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Author: Catherder

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.

Summary :Continuation of "Encounter." Renfro grabs Logan for experimentation and Lydecker has to deal with the consequences.

Spoilers/Timeframe:Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back

Rated: PG for language

A/N: This is in response to the reviewers who asked me to continue the story. Great thanks to a fan for reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are appreciated.****

** **

Encounter,Chapter Five 

Logan wheeled himself down the hallway, following Lydecker to the lab. He noted that Lydecker had not offered to push his chair or help him in any way. As they proceeded down the long, sterile hallway, Logan noted the numbers on the doors and the heavy locks on some of them. While the hallway was brightly lit, it still felt cavelike to him and he wondered whether this part of the building was underground. He hadn't noticed any gradual downward slope, but he nevertheless felt like he was descending.

They reached the lab where Lydecker had been supervising his experiments. It too was brightly lit, and full of cages. There was an overwhelming, acrid odor of animals and chemicals. Squeals, yips, and yelps filled the air. Lydecker introduced Logan to a lab tech who would escort him around and explain the various stages of the experiment. While Lydecker entered data onto a computer screen at his desk, Logan rolled down the aisles of cages, asking questions about the animals in them. 

He stopped at a large cage full of small dogs, all of which dragged their hind legs painfully. The lab tech explained that the animals had had their spinal cords severed to induce paralysis. Logan shivered. Been there, done that, he thought, a lump rising in his throat. They would be injected with the nanocells the next day and carefully observed, the lab tech said cheerfully. 

A few cages down the aisle, Logan saw more dogs stumblingaround in their cage, their hind legs wobbly and barely able to support them. These animals had been treated for a month and were beginning to recover, he was told. 

"How many animals were in this batch originally?" he asked, noting that there were seven dogs in the cage.

"Let's see … Hmm. Twenty–five."

"Uh, what happened to the rest?"

"They, ah, they died, sir."

"I see. Thank you. And the dogs in this cage?" Logan rolled over to another large cage. The animals in questions were romping and playing with one another.

"They've been treated for three months, sir," The lab tech replied enthusiastically. "They're almost completely cured." 

"Thanks. You've been very helpful." Logan wheeled himself back to Lydecker's desk. Lydecker was staring intently at the computer screen. Logan moved behind the desk to look at the screen. There was an image of a body on it; Lydecker was turning the image around, studying it from various angles. 

"Is that me?" Logan asked.

"Yes. From an MRI taken this morning." He enlarged part of the image and pointed to a dark spot. "What's this?" 

Logan peered at the screen. "What am I looking at?"

"Right here. Next to your spinal column." Lydecker swiveled the computer monitor so Logan could see it more clearly, then pointed with the end of his pen to a tiny spot near the juncture of three arteries.

"Oh, probably a bullet fragment. They couldn't get them all during the first surgery. I had another operation a couple of months ago to remove more of them. I guess Sam – my neurosurgeon – still wasn't able to get them all."

"Hmm. That's going to complicate matters," Lydecker said ominously.

"How so?"

"Well, we've only worked with clean wounds. Surgically severed nerves, nothing to complicate the healing process. Frankly, I don't know what would happen with a bullet fragment in the mix. That's one of the reasons I want more animal trials. What we've done so far is very limited. We need to add complications."

"So, I take it that you _won't try it on me?" Logan asked, almost disappointed._

"Renfro, in a heartbeat. You, no." Lydecker replied. "Too many 'what-ifs'. If you died in the process of a straightforward experiment, that would be one thing, but to subject you to too many unknowns would be unethical." He leaned back in his chair. "Now I get to think about what I tell She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. She's going to be mightily pissed off."

"I can imagine."

"Oh, no you can't. She went to all the trouble of kidnapping you, and now I can't use you as a subject even if I wanted to. That'll really tick her off. Next, I have to figure out what to do with you."

"Get me out of here?" Logan suggested hopefully.

"Yeah. Somehow. Well, let's get you back to your room before Renfro becomes suspicious. I'm sure the only way she'd want to see you in this lab is strapped to a gurney with tubes in your arms, not taking the Grand Tour."

Yeah, well. I guess you're right. This place is beginning to creep me out anyway."

Lydecker shut off his computer and accompanied Logan back to his room. At the door, he said softly, "I'll be back later. We'll come up with a plan to get you safely out of here and beyond Renfro's reach. In the meantime, just play it cool and you don't know anything."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Logan smiled for the first time since he'd been abducted. "I don't know much, in any case." 

Lydecker said good-bye and turned to walk back to the lab. Logan leaned back in the wheelchair, closed his eyes, and sighed deeply. His thoughts were tangled. On one level, he had been tempted to try Lydecker's experiment; it sounded like a simple, elegant solution to his problems. On the other hand, he understood Lydecker's reluctance to use him as a lab rat. There was no evidence yet that the nanotechnology would work on people. He thought it odd, from what he'd heard about Lydecker, that the man would hesitate to try an experiment on anyone, but given his previous military record, maybe something of the character traits that had made him such a highly respected, decorated soldier still remained in him.

"Damn!" Logan said aloud, just as the orderly came in with another tray of food. The man jumped, almost dropping the tray.

"Sorry," Logan apologized. "I was just thinking about something."

"Here's your dinner."

"Thanks. Just leave the tray." The orderly placed it on the bedside table and left.

Logan wheeled over to the table and took the tray. He ate the food, thinking that he should keep up his strength for whatever the hell these people had in mind for him, unless of course, they were drugging him, in which case, maybe he _shouldn't _eat anything. He wondered what Lydecker would come up with and if they could pull it off.

He finished eating and looked around for a radio or television, anything to occupy the hours while others made the decisions that would impact his life. Finding nothing, he thought maybe he'd take a spin down the hall to find something or some one to help him relieve the boredom. But he held that thought when he saw Elizabeth Renfro walk toward him.

"Good evening, Mr. Cale.We meet again. Remember me?" she said cheerfully. "How are you feeling this evening?"

"Fine. When can I leave?"

"Not quite yet. We're still reviewing your test results. Let me introduce myself. I'm Dr.Renfro."

"Well, Dr. Renfro, if you're in charge here, please let me know what's going on. Where am I? What tests have you run? What are you testing for? Have you contacted Dr. Carr?"

"One thing at a time, Mr. Cale," she said sweetly, sitting down on the metal chair and crossing her legs. Her skirt was very short and she hiked it up a bit. "You're at a private medical facility…"

"Yes, I _know that," said Logan, exasperated. "Everybody's told me that. But __what 'private medical facility?' And __where?"_

"That doesn't matter. You're our guest and we'll take care of you."

"Sorry, but it _does matter, at least to me. There are bars on the windows. That implies certain things."_

"We're a private nursing home and research facility, out in the country," she said by way of explanation.

Right, Logan thought. "And the tests?"

"Some one found you passed out at Fremont market and dialed 911. Our ambulance was in the area, so it responded. Since it was obvious that you suffer from a neurological condition, we started there with our tests."

Logan closed his eyes. I'm a freaking paraplegic, he thought. What is this 'neurological condition' crap? She's trying to set me up for a course of 'treatment' – Lydecker's experiment.

He opened his eyes and stared at her. "And have you found anything?" he asked disingenuously.

"A possible … anomaly that may be causing some of your problems," she lied with a perfectly straight face, a face with a faint smile on it.

Logan returned her smile, thinking anomaly, my ass. Sam has made sure I know all the facts about my 'problems.' Other than the pluripotents from Max's blood, which might still be around, there have been no anomalies.

"And you can treat that here?" Aquamarine eyes met black eyes. Neither pair blinked.

"I think so. We've been doing research on spinal cord injuries here and we've got a good track record in treating them." She uncrossed and re-crossed her legs, inviting Logan's admiration. It was not forthcoming.

"Have you consulted with Dr. Sam Carr, my neurosurgeon?"

"We've tried to contact him, but haven't been able to reach him. We'll keep trying."

"I won't agree to any treatment until I've talked to him." Logan stated.

Renfro stood up and took a few steps toward him. She took his hand in a gesture of sincerity; her nails dug into his flesh painfully. "I really must insist. If we don't treat you, it will only get worse. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"

It sounded like a threat to him. "No, I wouldn't." Logan wheeled away from her, breaking her grip. She didn't take it well. Her eyes flashed, an eerie ebony glow of anger.

"Very well. I'll be back with consent forms. Then some one will come and fill you in on the treatment options. You've made a wise choice, Mr. Cale." The cold smile was back.

"No doubt," Logan said, trying to plot his next move. 

Renfro turned on her heel and walked out of his room.


	6. Encounter -- Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

**Chapter Six   
  
**

Logan looked out the window at the twilight. His skin was crawling. He felt like he needed a shower after his encounter with Renfro. Maybe a good hot shower would relax him. He needed _something to relax him and he figured he wasn't going to find a good bottle of Scotch around anywhere.   
  
_

So he wheeled himself into the bathroom to check it out. There were lots of nice fluffy towels, even a thick terrycloth robe, and a medicine cabinet he couldn't reach. But there was also a raised ledge along the edge of the shower stall and no way for him to get into it.   
  


"Damn!" He smacked his fist against a wheel of his chair. How badly did he want a shower? Bad enough to call an orderly and ask for help? He thought about it for a minute or two, then decided that there was no one around whom he wanted to impress. He didn't know any of these people, and didn't care if they saw him at less than his best. Besides, wasn't it part of an orderly's job to help cripples take showers? So he rolled back into the main room and pushed the call button. An unwanted instance of déjà vu hit him. He _almost _couldn't remember the last time he'd needed help taking a shower.  
  


Almost immediately, the orderly came running in.   
  


"Mr. Cale! Are you all right?" he asked, out of breath. The speed of his arrival almost made Logan jump out of his skin.   
  


"Yes, I'm fine," Logan snapped at him. "I want to take a shower and I can't get into the shower stall – there's a ledge. You'd think they'd know better at a 'private medical facility' – accessibility and all that. I'll need some help."   
  
  


The orderly seemed taken aback. "Oh, OK. Let me see what I can do." He left, but returned a few minutes later with a small but sturdy metal bench.   
  


"I think this will work," he said. If I put this in the stall for you to sit on, can you transfer yourself from the wheelchair to the bench?"   
  
  


"With your assistance, I think so," Logan said. "Let's see what we can do."   
  
  


The orderly placed the bench in the shower stall and made sure it was secure. Logan stripped down to his shorts and positioned the wheelchair as close to the bench as he could get it. He placed his hands on the bench and thrust his body upright. The orderly helped him transfer from the chair to the bench, lifting him enough that his feet cleared the ledge. It was clumsy, but it worked. When the orderly left he stripped off his shorts and reached up to turn on the water, adjusting the temperature.   
  


He sat there for what seemed like hours, just letting the water run over him. He felt his revulsion toward Renfro, his fear, and anxiety, disappear as he washed his hair and rinsed the soap off his body. Absent the single malt, it was just what he needed. As he wrapped himself in a towel, he called the orderly again. The man came in, and helped Logan get back into the chair.   
  


"Now," Logan said to him. "If you can just take the stuff out of the medicine cabinet and put it on the counter so I can actually reach it, I think that will be all I'll need."   
  
  


A few minutes later, Logan wheeled himself out of the bathroom and found that a pair of pajamas, rather than the hospital gown, had been provided for him. He had always worn only the bottoms, but this time, he put on the top as well. Suddenly tired, he transferred himself to the bed; without bothering to turn out the light, Logan closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.   
  


**************   
  


The next morning, the orderly returned, awakening Logan from a deep sleep.   
  


"Good morning, Mr. Cale. Time for your treatment," he said.   
  


Logan yawned. "Don't I even get breakfast?"   
  
  


"It's still too early for breakfast, but Dr. Renfro wanted to get you started. I'll come back for you later, after you've had your first session."   
  
  


"Oh," was all Logan said. He sat up and maneuvered around until he was positioned on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling over the side. "Where are my clothes?" he demanded.   
  


In response, the orderly handed him a neatly folded pile of clothes, all washed and pressed. Logan dressed quickly and got himself into his chair. "Lead on."   
  
  


The orderly went behind him, as if to push the wheelchair, but Logan's chair had no handles on the back. 

"It's not made to be pushed," Logan said by way of explanation. He looked up at the orderly defiantly.   
  


The man looked confused for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. He motioned for Logan to follow him.   
  


They moved slowly down the hall, retracing the route Logan previously had taken with Lydecker. Once again, Logan had the impression that he was heading down a slope into the bowels of Manticore.   
  


The orderly knocked on a door near the entrance to the lab. It was opened by the lab tech Logan had met before, who smiled at the orderly and waved him away.   
  


"Hello, Mr. Cale. Colonel Lydecker is waiting for you. He'll explain the procedure to you.   
  


"Thanks," Logan said shortly, suddenly feeling hungry. He followed the lab tech to Lydecker's office. Seeing Logan arrive, Lydecker got up from his desk and came over to greet him. He looked down at Logan, his face betraying nothing. He put out his hand to shake Logan's.   
  


"Glad to see you've agreed to the treatment," he said. "I'm sure we can help you here."   
  


"I had no choice, Colonel. Dr. Renfro made such a compelling case for my participation," Logan replied dryly.   
  


"Well, let me explain what we're going to do. We're using nanotechnology to treat spinal cord injuries. We inject nanocells at the site of the injury. The injected nanocells attach themelves to the ends of the severed nerves, eventually forming a connection that allows the interrupted synaptic impulses to resume," he explained, more for the lab tech's benefit than for Logan's. "This will take time, and the experiment isn't always successful. We won't know for sure if the nanotechnology has taken hold for several weeks."   
  


"So this is a long-term deal?"   
  


"Yes. You saw the dogs. The ones who are nearly completely healed have been treated for 90 days. We do the injections every three days."   
  


"I hate needles," Logan commented, thinking of Dr. Vertes' burning injections.   
  


Lydecker smiled. "Don't worry. You won't feel a thing – at least initially." He motioned to the lab tech. "Please get the cubicle set up for Mr. Cale and have the syringe ready."   
  


The man hurried off to obey.   
  


"So, what are you _really going to do to me?" Logan asked.   
  
_

"Inject you with sterile water," Lydecker said simply.   
  


"What about, um, what's-his-name?"   
  


"He does what I tell him to do. As far as he's concerned, you're getting a placebo as a control."   
  


"Oh. So how long is this charade going to go on?"   
  


"Depends on how involved Renfro gets. She'll want to see results as quickly as possible."   
  


"But you said it would take several weeks before you can tell if the nanotechnology has kicked in. You know we don't have that much time. People will be looking for me."   
  


"Well, if you have an adverse reaction, that could show up in a day or so. I'll have to come up with a plausible one. Hopefully, seeing that, she'll be inclined to bounce you out of here in a hurry."   
  


The lab tech returned, indicating that all was ready for the first treatment. "Mr. Cale? Will you follow me please?"   
  


Logan did so, rolling down yet another bare hallway. He was shown to a cubicle with an examination table and a bunch of medical paraphernalia, most of which he didn't recognize, on a tray next to it. There was a hospital gown folded up on the exam table. Logan sighed.   
  


"Mr. Cale, would you please – "   
  


"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill."   
  


"Do you need any help getting onto the table?"   
  


"No. Do stuff like that all the time. But thanks for the offer."   
  


"I'll leave you then. Colonel Lydecker and the doctor will be here in a minute." He turned to leave.   
  


"Word of advice – don't ask me if I need help. If I do, _I'll ask __you."   
  
_

Logan changed into the hospital gown. Damn, he hated those things! Even though he couldn't feel the breeze on his butt, he could imagine it. It was hard to maintain your dignity with your ass hanging out. He transferred from his chair to the examination table, then sat there, waiting. He remembered that when he was a child, he used to swing his legs back and forth against the table at the doctor's office. He wished he still could.   
  


Lydecker rejoined him, along with another man, whom Logan didn't recognize, but assumed was the doctor. He carried a file folder with him.   
  


"Mr. Cale, this is Dr. Olsen. He's been briefed on your case and will treat you," Lydecker said brusquely. Dr. Olsen shook Logan's hand. He took an X-ray from the file folder and held it up to the light. He still hadn't said a word, which Logan found ominous.   
  


"Hmm." Dr. Olsen pursed his lips. He took out another X-ray and held it up next to the other one. "Mr. Cale, I need you to lie on your side."   
  


Logan nodded. He turned his body sideways and lifted each leg onto the exam table. Then he lay down and twisted onto his side. "This OK?"   
  


"Fine." Dr. Olsen ran strong fingers down Logan's back to determine the point of injury. The pressure Logan felt was not unpleasant, almost like a massage. Then the pressure stopped and Logan realized that Dr. Olsen had reached the place on his back where the numbness began. "Ah," was all Dr. Olsen said.   
  


While Dr. Olsen examined Logan, Lydecker turned away, coffee mug in hand, as if he didn't want to see what Olsen was doing.   
  


"Can you feel that?" Dr. Olsen said, startling Logan.   
  


"Uh, no."   
  


"This?"   
  


"No." Logan's jaw tightened.   
  


"How about this?" Dr. Olsen moved his fingers up Logan's spine.   
  


There seemed to be some pressure on his back. "Yes, I can feel that."   
  


"Good."   
  


Logan smelled alcohol, then felt something cold on his back as Dr. Olsen swabbed it. The cold feeling disappeared as Dr. Olsen moved the alcohol pad down his spine. He shivered, even though he couldn't feel the needle slide into place and couldn't feel the plunger of the syringe pushed down. Well, he thought, so much for Step One. Wonder what Lydecker's got in mind for Step Two?   
  


He didn't have to wait long to find out. A strange sensation engulfed him; for a few seconds he thought he smelled Max's cherry-flavored lip gloss. Then his body stiffened and convulsed as the seizure hit him. His hands clenched and unclenched and his head jerked back just before he lost consciousness. 


	7. Encounter -- Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven Kent & Kiki SMITH Kathleen Norvell 3 12 2001-10-26T15:01:00Z 2001-10-26T15:02:00Z 4 1723 9823 n/a 81 19 12063 9.2720 0 0 

Author: Catherder

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.

Summary :  Continuation of "Encounter." Renfro grabs Logan for experimentation and Lydecker has to deal with the consequences.

Spoilers/Timeframe:  Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back

Rated: PG for language

A/N: This is in response to the reviewers who asked me to continue the story. Great thanks to a fan for reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are appreciated.  

********************

**Chapter Seven**

Logan awoke in his bed at Manticore. His head felt like some one was kicking it. When he opened his eyes, he saw Renfro bending over him, a solicitous smile lighting everything but her cold eyes.

"Ah, good, Mr. Cale, you're awake," she said, stating the obvious.

"What the hell happened?" Logan tried to sit up, but winced at the pain in his head.

Renfro touched a button on the side of the bed and it adjusted to a sitting position. "You had a seizure," she explained. "We're trying to track down the source. We should have test results in about an hour. Then we should know whether it was caused by the treatment or by your neurological condition worsening. First fainting, then a seizure…"

Logan sighed deeply, then looked Renfro in the eye. "What's it going to take to convince you, lady? I am a T-8 level paraplegic. Period. There is no other 'neurological condition.' I have an excellent doctor – a neurosurgeon. He sees me for a checkup every few months. I can also read an X-ray and an MRI. So far, you haven't shown me any proof that I have any kind of 'condition.' If you think I have, then transfer me to Metro Medical and have him examine me."

"I don't think that would be such a good idea, Mr. Cale." Renfro continued to smile her icy smile. "I couldn't take responsibility for you further injuring yourself."

"If you want, I'd gladly sign a waiver relieving you of any responsibility. But I want to get out of here and if you don't let me leave, you will be holding me against my will. I believe that's called kidnapping."

The smile dropped from her face. "Mr. Cale, I don't believe you are competent to make decisions about your health."

"You gonna send up a shrink now to check me over? I'm sure he'll say whatever you want him to," Logan said defiantly. " Something went sideways in your 'treatment' of my 'condition.' That's it. Now, I'm willing to forget all about it if you just get out of this room and let me leave!"

Renfro leaned over into Logan's face. "Don't play games with me, Mr. Cale or you may find your condition getting worse, maybe even fatal."

He didn't flinch. "Ah, so _now we get to the threats," he taunted._

Renfro's hand came up to slap him, but he caught her wrist and painfully twisted it behind her.

"I may not be able to walk, but I _can break your arm. Now, are you going to get me out of here or not?" _

Logan was obviously hurting her, but he knew she would never say so. He also didn't think she would give in easily. He distrusted her to keep her word, but they'd played to a standoff. He didn't know what she would do next, but he knew what _he had to do._

"Get out of here and let me get dressed!" he snarled, pushing her away from him so hard she almost fell over. 

She rubbed her wrist, which still showed the livid imprints from Logan's fingers. "I'll send some one down immediately to escort you out," she said between clenched teeth. She smoothed her hair, quickly regaining her composure. "Don't think that I will forget this little incident." High heels clicking on the tile, she left the room, shutting the door behind her. 

Ignoring his throbbing head, Logan pulled himself out of bed and into his chair. He found his clothes, once again neatly folded in the drawer. Whatever Manticore's intentions, he told himself, at least  they were neat and tidy to a fault. He dressed more quickly than he ever had, keenly aware of the urgency of his situation. He wheeled himself to the door and tried to open it, only to find that Renfro had locked it behind her.

"Damn!" he shouted as he pounded on the doorjamb. "Damn!" If there was ever a time when he wished he had Max's lock-picking tools, it was now. Angrily, he wheeled around to look out the barred window, feeling more than ever like the proverbially trapped rat. If he weren't in the chair, he could get out of here, he thought, if, if if…

His bitter thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking, revealing the now-familiar orderly. Logan turned around to face him.   

"Good morning, Mr. Cale. Doctor Renfro has ordered a sedative for you."

"I don't think so, Logan replied. "I'm fine. I don't need a sedative."

"But Doctor Renfro – " the orderly tried to continue, approaching Logan with a syringe.

"I said I was fine." Logan said, grabbing the orderly's hand and twisting the syringe out of it. Holding the orderly by the wrist with his left hand, he brought his right fist up and delivered an effective uppercut, bringing the man down in a heap. "And I hate needles." 

Once again, he rolled over to the now-unlocked door. Opening it, he surreptitiously checked out the hallway. It seemed to be empty. 

He wheeled down the hallway to Lydecker's office. Leaning forward, he used the full force of his body weight to pound on the door.

"Lydecker! Open up!"

The door opened inward with such violence that Logan was thrown off balance and nearly toppled out of the chair. Lydecker caught him with one strong hand and pushed him back onto the seat cushion. 

"What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

"The Bride of Mengele threatened to kill me is what's going on, Lydecker," Logan said breathlessly as he rolled into the office, followed by Lydecker. "Whatever plan you've got in the works needs to be implemented _now." He wheeled around to face the older man._

"Oh, and by the way, do _you have any idea why I had that seizure?"_

"I gave you something that caused an electrolyte imbalance. It was harmless and temporary. But it made you seize up. I wanted to get things underway.

"Well, Renfro's not buying it. She wants more tests to see what caused the seizure – whether it was the 'treatment' or this non-existent 'condition' she says I've got. She's not gonna drop it until I'm dead."

"Well, I've found out that Renfro's goons brought your car here when they abducted you. I guess they figured it would cause less suspicion if both you _and the car disappeared rather than leaving it parked at the market."_

"Well, that's a start."

"It's parked behind the building.  So, the only challenge will be to get you to the car. There's heavy surveillance throughout this facility. I'm sure you've been recorded coming here.

"If you can give me access to your computer, I can fix that. I can make tape loops of the surveillance system and copy them into the camera feed so no one will see me here. And no one will be able to see us leave," Logan stated. 

"Good. That will help. I think I see a plan taking shape," Lydecker said. "You want a cup of coffee?" 

Logan nodded. Lydecker poured him a cup from the pot on a hot plate on a credenza. 

"Got something for a headache? Whatever you injected me with is kicking my ass."

"Here." Lydecker handed Logan a couple of white pills. "It's just aspirin," he said, noting the suspicious glance he got. "I swear."

Logan swallowed the aspirin with a big gulp of coffee. "OK, now get me into that computer." He wheeled over to Lydecker's desk while Lydecker logged in. "In the interest of time, I'll only loop the tapes of the corridors we'll actually use."

"Fine. These are the ones." Lydecker pointed to several lines on a schematic that glowed on the screen. "How fast can you do this? Renfro will be on the warpath momentarily."

"Stall her. It'll take a while," Logan replied, typing furiously.

Lydecker's cell phone rang. He answered it with a tone of impatience. "This is Lydecker. What? No, I haven't seen him. Not a clue. I'll let you know if I do. All right, I'll see you in a few minutes." Lydecker hung up. 

"No time to finish that." He turned to Logan with a sense of urgency. "The bitch is on her way down here to see me. You're going to be on your own." He quickly printed out the corridor diagram, which he handed to Logan. "This will show you where to go." 

"Great. Just what I need."

"She's going to want to know why you came here. I'll think of something interesting to tell her."

"I hope she believes you. What now?"

 "Now we bust you out of here." Lydecker opened a desk drawer and pulled out a semi-automatic. He inserted a clip and stuck the gun into a holster that had been hidden by his jacket.

"Got a spare?" Logan asked. "Unfortunately, I left mine at home. I wasn't expecting to be abducted, so I wasn't packing."

Lydecker went over to another desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a 9 mm Ruger. He inserted a clip and handed it to Logan, who chambered a round.

"You know how to use one of these?" Lydecker looked at him in surprise.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Need one in my line of work. That's how I ended up in this chair – got shot by the bad guys. Funny how the honchos around here seem to pack heat. Interesting medical facility." 

"You don't know the half of it, son. Well, let's see what we can do to get you out of here. She'll be here in a minute." Lydecker looked out the door. Seeing that Renfro hadn't yet turned the corner to his office, he motioned to Logan to leave quickly. "Go down this hall and turn right at the first intersection. Here, you may need this." He tossed a building pass to Logan. "Now, get out of here."

Logan took the pass and rolled out of the office. He quickly made his way down the corridor in the direction Lydecker had indicated. He got to the intersection and turned the corner, then he stopped and looked back down the hall he'd just left. Renfro, in full fury, was stalking toward Lydecker's office. He ducked back around the corner.

************** 

Renfro slammed the lab door open.

"Where the hell is he?"

"I have no idea. He didn't come in here," Lydecker lied.

"The surveillance camera indicted that he did."

"Well, I _was in the can for a few minutes. Maybe he came in then. Guess since he didn't find me, he left."_

"And _why would he come here?" She was leaning over his desk, hands firmly planted on its top._

"Maybe he wanted to say good-bye. How should I know?" Lydecker leaned back in his chair, coffee cup in hand.

"Well, don't you think it's just a teeny bit suspicious that he should come looking for _you?"_

"I'm the only other person, other than Dr. Olsen, that he's met here. Maybe he thought I could help him in some way. He _did have a seizure, after all."_

"And could you?" she asked suspiciously.

 "You brought this on yourself!" Lydecker exploded. "I told you he'd be trouble, and he is." Then he continued in an exasperated tone. " No, I haven't seen him. No, I'm not helping him. Why would I? I'll go look for him if you want. Obviously, he can't get far – he's in a wheelchair. Otherwise get out of my office."

"He overpowered and knocked out my orderly! I don't give a damn if he's crawling, he's dangerous and I want him found." Renfro's tone approached hysteria.

"So send out your guards if you think he's dangerous," Lydecker said, a slight smile on his face. So the guy had taken out an orderly? Not bad. Renfro had obviously underestimated him. "Set off the sirens and send out the troops to look for him." And see how ridiculous you look, he thought.

"Find him." She glared at him. 

"Oh, and by the way," she tossed off over her shoulder as she turned to leave, "Do _you have any idea what caused his seizure? The tests were inconclusive."_

Lydecker rolled his eyes and sighed. He shut the door and sat back down to finish his coffee. He had the feeling that Logan Cale could take care of himself. 


	8. Encounter -- Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight Kent & Kiki SMITH Kathleen Norvell 2 5 2001-10-26T15:08:00Z 2001-10-26T15:08:00Z 5 1665 9496 n/a 79 18 11661 9.2720 0 0 

Author: Catherder

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.

Summary :  Continuation of "Encounter." Renfro grabs Logan for experimentation and Lydecker has to deal with the consequences.

Spoilers/Timeframe:  Between Pollo Loco and Hit a Sistah Back

Rated: PG for language

A/N: This is in response to the reviewers who asked me to continue the story. I bow in awe to a fan for great insight in reviewing and making excellent suggestions. Reviews are appreciated.****

**********************

**Chapter Eight**

The sirens blared and doors automatically shut and locked all along the corridor. Running footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. Renfro had indeed let loose the troops. Lydecker decided it was time for him to leave. He had to catch up with Logan before Renfro's goons did. He drew his gun and went out into the hallway. Since he had given Logan the schematics of the building, Lydecker knew what route he would be taking.

Lydecker walked down the corridor, gun still drawn. Black-clad guards ran by him and he diverted them in another direction with a motion of his hand. Silently, he strode away from them, checking doorways and stairwells as he did. There was no sign of Logan, which he hoped was a good thing. The guy must be making good time. It had to be hard to sneak around in a wheelchair.

"Good thing I oiled the wheels. Wouldn't want to be squeaking right about now," Logan said, rolling up behind Lydecker. "Where'd you dump the body?"

"She went back to her office – to send the guards out to find you," Lydecker replied. At Logan's alarmed expression, he added, "It's all right for now. I sent them off in the opposite direction."

"Thank God for that. Let's get out of here."

They carefully crossed an intersection, watching for Renfro's henchmen, but the guards were nowhere in sight. Halfway down the hall, they heard footsteps approach and Logan caught a glimpse of the orderly he'd knocked out earlier. Lydecker ducked into a doorway, using his pass to open the door and motioned to Logan to follow him. Logan quickly wheeled himself into the room. He turned around, locked the brakes of the chair, and picked up the gun. They waited until the footsteps passed. 

Lydecker stuck his head out the door. "Come on!" Once again, they continued down the hall. 

"How much farther?" Logan asked. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this."

"Hey, don't give me any of that 'Are we there yet?' crap," Lydecker replied. "We've got a couple more corridors to cross." Saying that, he inched sideways down the hall, checking doors on either side. 

Logan followed behind him, sticking close to the older man. He knew that he was a moving target, literally a sitting duck. Lydecker could move quickly out of harm's way, but he couldn't. He hoped he made the right choice, trusting Lydecker with his life.

It seemed like hours before they reached the next intersection. Every now and then, Lydecker would use his pass to open another door and they would duck in until Logan's pursuers had passed. Renfro phoned twice more and twice more, Lydecker put her off, telling her he hadn't seen Logan, but that he was still looking for him. It was a big facility, after all, and who knows which way he went? 

They were nearing the next intersection when Lydecker quickly, but quietly pulled out his gun. He screwed a silencer onto it. "We're getting close to Renfro's office," he whispered. "She's probably got guards posted at the door."

He crept across the corridor toward the other side of the intersection and motioned for Logan to follow. Just as Logan got halfway across, a guard stepped out of Renfro's office. Before Logan knew what was happening, Lydecker tipped him forward out of the wheelchair and onto the floor on his stomach. He looked up and saw the guard turn around. At the same moment, Lydecker aimed and fired. The guard slumped against the doorjamb and slid down the wall.

"Nice shooting. Thanks." Logan spoke in a hushed tone.

"Sorry I had to do that. No time to warn you. Need any help?"

"Under normal circumstances, no. But in the interest of getting my ass out of here as fast as possible, yeah, I could use some help," Logan admitted. He locked the brakes of the chair, then Lydecker helped him back up and into it.

"OK. Let's go. Not very far now. I hope she didn't hear any of that." Lydecker watched Renfro's office for a minute, but there was no more movement. He motioned for Logan to get moving.

They proceeded down the last corridor. From the noise behind them it was apparent that the dead guard had been discovered. Footsteps sounded in several directions, including behind them. Lydecker swiped his pass in front of a scanner at a door, but not quickly enough. Logan had been spotted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a guard running toward them. With one hand, he wheeled the chair around; with the other, he fired the gun. 

The guard stopped in his tracks, then went down. He fired wildly but hit nothing but the wall. Logan wheeled back around and took off, with Lydecker alongside him.

"Nice moves," Lydecker said admiringly.

"Basketball."

"What?"

"I play wheelchair basketball. Gotta have moves. Didn't think they'd come in handy off the court."

"You're a piece of work, Logan Cale," Lydecker said in amusement and more than a little admiration.

In a few minutes, they were at the back door of the facility. Lydecker quickly disarmed the alarm and opened the door. They found themselves at the top of a loading dock ramp. 

"Where the hell's my car?" Logan said. "I thought you said it was parked nearby."

"It was. I guess somebody moved it."

"Great. Now what? I'm kind of exposed here."

"Stay here. I'll go find it."

"Like I trust you that much."

"I got you this far, didn't I?"

Logan had to concede that he did, but he wasn't sure he would be able to go any farther. He rolled down the ramp to the driveway. Lydecker followed him. 

"There's more cover here, in case anyone figures out that you've gotten out of the building." Lydecker walked away to find Logan's car, leaving Logan concealed beside the loading dock. The older man looked back over his shoulder and saw Logan, sitting very upright in his wheelchair, gun drawn, every nerve on edge.

Logan waited, hyperalert, ears straining for any sound that would indicate that the black-clad guards had spotted him. He'd never felt so vulnerable. Not for the first time, he silently damned Bruno Anselmo and the bullet that had put him in the wheelchair. He looked around at the building he'd exited. It looked so innocuous. He wondered what other experiments they were carrying out inside. He shivered.

Just then, he heard an engine and turned the chair in the direction of the sound. True to his word, Lydecker drove up in the Aztek, working the hand controls somewhat jerkily. Logan couldn't remember when he'd ever been so glad to see it. 

"Idiots left the keys in the ignition." Lydecker said as he got out of the car. "You'll have to break through the perimeter gate. I'd come with you, but Renfro doesn't know I'm involved and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible."

"All right, I understand. Don't want to blow your cover."

"Something like that."

Logan opened the front door on the passenger side and locked the brakes of the chair. As Lydecker looked on, he went through the familiar routine that got him into the car and behind the wheel. Once he was situated, he said to Lydecker, "Make yourself useful and stow my chair, will you?"

Lydecker did so. "Now, here's what you do." He instructed Logan on how to get to, then through, the perimeter gate. "I hope you don't mind getting this thing shot up a bit."

"Better than _me getting shot up a bit. Been there, done that. Didn't like it much."_

"Well, good luck."

 "Thanks. I owe you big time for this one."

"Yes, son, you do," Lydecker agreed. "And I'll come to collect some day." He smiled enigmatically and walked away, leaving Logan with a quizzical expression on his face. 

Logan started the car and slowly drove down the driveway. He gathered speed as he headed toward the perimeter of the Manticore compound. The perimeter guard came out of his booth and motioned the Aztek over to the side of the road. Logan ignored him and sped up. He saw the chain link perimeter gate a few seconds before he crashed through it. He heard the sound of machine gun fire, and he swerved the car to the left, then to the right as the guard fired after him. A few rounds hit the back of the Aztek; one shattered the rear windshield, but he didn't slow down until he was sure he hadn't been followed.

**********

Lydecker returned to the main building and walked slowly toward Renfro's office. As he neared the door, he heard a commotion and then a crash. He ran the last few yards, gun drawn. Another crash. Lydecker ducked into the office suite, stepping over the dead guard.

"What's going on? Is everything all right?" he shouted.

"No! Everything is _not all right!" Renfro screamed. Lydecker cautiously entered her office. The first thing he saw was the remnants of an expensive vase, shattered on the floor. Then he looked up and saw Renfro's face contorted in fury._

"He got away!" she said between clenched teeth. "I just got a call from the perimeter guard. He crashed through the gate in his car! How could he get away? He's a cripple in a wheelchair!"

Lydecker put his gun back in its holster. He said calmly, "That may be so, but he's apparently a very smart cripple in a wheelchair." He wanted to laugh at her, but his military training kicked in and he restrained himself.

"Not only that, but he took out a couple of my guards! Where the hell did he get a gun?" Her voice was beginning to get shrill.

"I have no idea," Lydecker replied, figuring that he'd let Logan keep the credit for the other guard that _he had shot. "He was more resourceful than you thought. I told you that grabbing him was a bad idea. He's proven it."_

Renfro was almost snarling. "And where the hell were _you?"_

"Looking for him, like I said I would. Some of your guards saw me out in the hallway. Obviously, I couldn't find him. By the way, did I ever tell you that I met him last year?" Lydecker commented, almost offhandedly.

"Do I want to hear this?" Renfro looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"It might give you a clue to who you were dealing with. I was attending a genetics conference at a hotel in Seattle. Some Luddite terrorists held a bunch of us hostage. Logan Cale traded himself as a hostage for the women. Later, they took him away and were going to throw him off the roof – they'd already done that to one hostage. I never did find out how he got away, but he did."

"Damn! Now I'll have to go to the trouble of finding another research subject!" Renfro said.

Lydecker sighed. She had entirely missed the point. "Well, while you search for one, it will give me time to perfect the process. That way, this kind of thing won't happen again."  He turned to leave. "Pour yourself a good stiff drink, Elizabeth, and forget about the one that got away."

*********

Safely down the road, Logan reached into the glove box for his cell phone. He pulled the phone out and found a piece of paper wrapped around it. He pulled over and read the note. The handwriting was strong, but unfamiliar.

"Give my regards to Eyes Only. Tell him I will be in touch."

Donald Lydecker

Logan reread the note and smiled.

**END**


End file.
